Nylon Thread Guide

Topics

• Nylon Uses

• Nylon Sizes

• Bonded or Soft

• Spool Sizes

• Elongation

• Twist

• Monocord Nylon

• Nylon Specifications

• Size / Machine Type

• Size / Stitch Visibility

• Use /  Size Guide

Nylon Thread

• Small Spools about $10

• Cases save 10 to 20%

• Size 15 / Tex 16

• Size 33 / Tex 35

• Size 46 / Tex 45

• Size 69 / Tex 70

• Size 92 / Tex 90

• Size 138 / Tex 135

• Size 207 / Tex 210

• Size 277 / Tex 270

• Size 346 / Tex 350

• Size 415 / Tex 410

• Size 554 / Tex 600

• Mixed Partial Spools

• Monocord Nylon Thread

• Half-Price Black and White

There are times when other threads work better than nylon:

Outdoor applications with prolonged sunlight exposure. For example, nylon thread is a great choice for sewing indoor upholstery, and canvas drop cloths used by house painters. It should not be used for outdoor furniture and sewing canvas sails, awnings, tarpaulins. In these cases polyester thread or UVR rated nylon thread are better choices.

Fire retardant garments and gear - Nylon thread yellows at 300F, sticks at 445F and melts at 500F. First responder garments and gear and some high temperature conveyer belts require much more fire retardance. Use .Kevlar and Fire Retardant  in these situations. They are heat resistant to 700F or more and do not melt

Critical strength requirements - Nylon is strong but Kevlar Thread is about twice as strong. For example, size 92 nylon has a 15 pound tensile strength; the same size Kevlar has a 30 pound tensile strength. Kevlar's downside is that it costs about five times more than nylon and only available in yellow. Consider using heavier weight nylon or double-stitching to meet strength requirements.

Cotton-like look - Our nylon thread has a smooth, glossy, shiny finish that does not go well with garments that need a soft, fuzzy, cotton-like look. Cotton, spun polyester and nylon thread, and fuzzy nylon are better and less expensive choices. We do not sell these products.

Nylon Thread Size -  Thread size refers to the thread's approximate thickness. Thread is soft and spongy and its thickness cannot be accurately measured with calipers. The Commercial and Tex sizes on our site measure the weight of a fixed length of thread. For example, a 1,000 meters of Tex 70 weighs 70 grams. Having said this, the military includes thread thickness in their specifications and we include them in our Nylon Thread Specifications.

Thread size is important because it affects so many things:

The material that you are sewing costs far more than the thread. In most cases (parachutes excepted) it is better for the thread to break than to have the stitches pull through the fabric. This means that the weight of the fabric, in ounces per square yard, is the best way to determine thread size. Here are size recommendations for fabric and leather.

There other things to consider. You may use a thinner thread because your machine cannot handle a heavier thread. Or, you may choose a thicker thread because you want stitches to stand out.

Nylon thread is sold by weight (ounces, pounds) - not yards. This is because the number of yards-per-pound decreases as thread thickness increases. Selling by weight means prices for a given size spool are about the same across most thread sizes..

Industry norms allow nylon thread spool weights to vary by plus/minus 10% from the stated nominal weight. This means that customers get slightly less or slightly more thread than the nominal weight shown on our site. The table on the right shows our nominal weights and the thread-weight range ( including the spool's weight ) for various sizes.  When spools fall within these ranges we do not charge for overages or refund underages. Here are the weight ranges we use:

Elongation - Nylon thread stretches about 25% before it breaks. This means that 10 yards of nylon thread will be 12.5 yards when it snaps. This stretchiness is a good thing in most cases. It allows the seams to expand and contract with the material and avoids puckering and breakage. Nylon's stretchiness may not be desirable in some hanging, reinforcing, or wrapping applications. When this is so, consider less stretchy threads such as cotton, spun polyester, or Kevlar.

Twist -  Most of the nylon thread on our site is left twist (also called Z-twist) because that is what single-needle machines made for the U.S. use. We have a few, clearly marked, right twist (also called S-twist) thread for double-needle machines. A thread's twist makes no difference when it comes to hand-sewing and non-sewing applications.

Use monocord nylon any place that regular nylon is used. It is the first choice for low profile stitching where stitches are inconspicuously buried in the fabric or leather. Burying stitches makes them less susceptible to abrasion, wear, and tear. This is a big advantage in furniture upholstery, automobile seats, climbing gear, and pet accessories.

Some of our monocord is labeled UVR. This means that has sunlight (UV) resistance similar to polyester.

Monocord nylon thread has the same vibrant color range as regular nylon. It is not transparent like monofilament.